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Drawing has always brought me
immense satisfaction. Seeing something with my eyes,
understanding it with my brain, and then recreating it with
my hand has always been a rewarding process. In college I majored in Environmental
Studies and have spent the last few years working as a
naturalist. Although drawing and painting have always been
hobbies of mine, I have come to realize that the artistic
process is the perfect way to learn about the natural world.
I don’t feel that I can truly understand a thing or conjure
it clearly in my memory until I’ve studied every curve and
shadow, how it is put together, and how the light plays off
of it. Drawing in detail forces me to slow down and truly get to know
my
subject.
A chickadee, a moth, or any other component of nature can
seem commonplace at first glance, but often
reveals a magnificent complexity upon closer inspection. I enjoy
examining details and finding recurring patterns in nature, seeing art within
art as I study the way a leaf is assembled or how a bird makes its nest.
The veins of a leaf fork into smaller and smaller branches much like tributaries
of a river, and the spiral of a periwinkle shell can also be found in a fresh
new fiddlehead about to unfurl.
I hope that my
art will encourage you to delight in nature’s beauty not only in the form of a
scenic vista, but also in the smaller things that surround you
every day. There is so much to see and enjoy if our eyes are
only open to it. |
